


Haggar's Lie comes True

by SherbetLemon



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Injuries, Misunderstandings, Oblivious Keith (Voltron), One Shot, Pining Lance (Voltron), Tooth-Rotting Fluff, canonverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-07-07 01:45:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15898398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SherbetLemon/pseuds/SherbetLemon
Summary: ‘I have a message for your blue paladin. I’ve got the love of your life here, and if you want them to stay alive I'd suggest you leave this ship at once.’‘Allura!’ Keith yelled. ‘Hang on, I’m coming to get you!’‘Wait! Keith, that’s not-‘// Keith runs straight into a trap when he wrongly believes Allura has been captured and ends up fulfilling Haggar's lie. Luckily Lance comes to his rescue.





	Haggar's Lie comes True

The sky was chaos, if you could even call it a sky. Keith was dashing back and forth in his lion between cruiser after cruiser and not even making a dent in the army surrounding the battleship. He flicked sweat off his forehead and let it splash down on the dashboard that flashed with an unending series of warnings. Power: critical, weapons: low, shields: ten percent. The worst part was the ringing alarms that blocked out his helmet communicator, cutting him off from the rest of the team. He’d catch buzzing explosions and the odd curse word but that was it. He was on his own and could only hope the rest of the team were faring better.

Another flash exploded to his right and he veered left, narrowly missing the sharp wing of a nearby cruiser.

He tried his Lion’s com, knowing it would drain his power but needing to know.

‘Mission status everyone.’

‘Dying.’

That was Pidge. Her voice was exhausted but spoken through gritted teeth. She was still fighting with all she had.

‘I second that one.’ Hunk added shakily. Air rushed over the mic as Hunk took a nose dive, before he shouted over it, ‘but I saw the blue and red lions get ahead and onto the cruiser.’

Keith grinned, slamming on the controls to dodge an incoming ship and shoot at its retreating tail. ‘Then we’ve just got to hold out a little longer.’

‘Paladins.’

Keith jolted in his seat. That voice was a familiar croak and sent shivers up his spine. How did it get on their line?

‘Haggar,’ Pidge hissed back. At least they were all on the 666 call.

‘I have a message for your blue paladin.’

Lance? Keith swallowed hard. The paladin hadn’t responded to his message, who knows if he’d hear this one, or if he was even okay?

‘What do you want?’ Lance spat over the com. His pants filled the line and the sounds of blaster fire echoed around them. Keith tried not to think about that. Haggar was speaking again, menacingly calm.

‘I’ve got the love of your life here, and if you want them to stay alive I'd suggest you leave this ship at once. That is all.’

Then her threat beeped out to indicate she was gone.

Allura? Haggar had Allura? Keith fumed. Her and Lance must have boarded the ship and split up as planned. But they’d known going in that the plan left them vulnerable and Haggar must have taken advantage of that. She’d captured Allura and was now trying to strike fear into Lance to get rid of him. Haggar underestimated Lance if she thought he’d run. And she dangerously underestimated the team if she thought Lance would be the only one prepared to carry out a rescue mission. Keith acted before he could think.

‘Allura!’ He yelled. ‘Hang on, I’m coming to get you!’

‘Wait! Keith, that’s not-‘

Keith killed the coms, diverting all power to engines as he rushed towards the battleship. The words were lost on him as he streamed past ship after ship. Fire burned the atmosphere around him, but he ignored it all, zooming straight for the ship floating in the stars ahead.

 

Boarding was easy. He landed Black on the cold outer surface before slipping down one of the missile tunnels and dropping into a weapons store. He snuck between large metal rockets and blaster canons piled like logs. The door was manned by sentries which were easily dispatched with a flick of his wrist that had his Bayard slamming into the robot’s head and a simple power kick that sent the other crashing into the far wall. He pressed his hand to the door panel and the cruiser instantly opened up to him. A warm welcome.

Sneaking through the vast corridors, Keith found the ship mostly occupied by sentries that he easily evaded. He figured Haggar would house herself at the centre of the ship, maintaining control of the entire operation from the thick of it. And she wouldn’t dare leave Allura on her own. So that’s where Keith headed.

Eventually he turned onto a corridor that seemed to drag into a curve. Paths opened to his right whilst large arched doorways loomed on his left. Walking felt more and more like he was trapped in an endless loop, like he’d found a glitch in a video game and would just continue walking the same scenery until he ran out of health.

It made his skin crawl and before he could descend into madness he threw his knife into the centre of the closest pair of doors and pried them open. With a bit of effort, he managed to squeeze through the gap and found himself stepping into a huge cavern. It seemed to rise two floors above him into an echoing bell and one below him that he looked down upon from some sort of mezzanine that sprawled around the entire edge of the room.

Keith stepped up to the edge and found it gave him a grand view of the plaza below. The entire thing was made up of cold dark metal and unforgiving straight edges. A large octagonal stage was set in the centre, surrounded by the thick metal pillars that lifted the balcony high enough to cast shadows over cells that lined the room. Keith hoped they were empty.

This must have been Haggar’s base where she could pick and choose prisoners to experiment on and curse with her magic. He shuddered, walking carefully around to one of the pillars. There were no ladders down, but he had two knives so proceeded to use them to climb down, stabbing each of them in turn into the hollow metal.

‘How good of you to join me Red Paladin.’

Keith hit the ground sooner than he’d intended to and immediately spun around with blades drawn.

‘Where’s Allura?’ He demanded to the empty room.

‘It’s of no interest to me or you.’

Keith let out a growl, ‘tell me where you’re keeping her.’

Haggar finally revealed herself, stepping out from thin air onto the stage in front of him. Only her hooked nose pointed out from her purple draped hood and she walked with crooked hands reaching forward. 

‘I’m not keeping her anywhere.’

Keith stood his ground, aiming his blades at her heart.

‘Just tell me where she is.’

A sudden force wrapped around his chest, and his swords clattered to the ground as he let out a shriek. Something was digging harshly into his ribs but when he looked down there was nothing there. He dug his heels into the ground but they scraped futilely along the floor as he was hauled forward by the invisible rope.

‘Why would I need the princess when I can get the leader of Voltron and his right hand in one fell swoop?’

Keith was now eye to eye with the witch and she scraped a long sharp nail up his chin.

‘And wasn’t it easy.’ She commented with a smirk.

Keith finally came to his senses, and began thrashing side to side, shouting as the invisible hold choked him further.

‘Struggle all you want,’ Haggar said, casting him aside. ‘As long as you’re here, no Voltron can help you.’

Keith was thrown to the floor and pain spiked up his side. Multiple ribs had definitely cracked, and his hip ached with a freshly formed bruise.

Haggar disappeared, as smoothly as she’d appeared, leaving Keith without a word. He tried to curl in over his stomach but the witch’s hold remained and he could only writhe in agony as it constricted around him. He let out a pained shout, trying to wriggle free but it was useless. He let his body fall limp, his panting breaths filling the room as he let his eyes fall closed.  
  
He’d failed the team. Not only had he lost Allura, he’d now rendered himself useless. Smacking a fist into the ground he let out a strangled groan giving another desperate twist against the binds. He needed his team. He wanted his friends.  
  
He took a deep breath. ‘Patience yields focus.’

Concentrating on their images, Keith reached out his mind like tree roots, searching for their heart beats. They couldn’t be too far off, especially if they’d managed to break into the battleship.

Keith stretched his mind further, forehead creasing with the effort as he focussed on the little power the Black Lion had left. In the hope it could increase his range, he pulled it in with all his strength before it snapped like a rubber band.

He doubled over, retching on the floor as his whole body convulsed. The pain on his ribs increased again and he realised with a start that Haggar’s magic was alive. It would go on squeezing him until he suffocated.

Keith needed to get out of there.

Attempting to crawl forward, he made it one step before his vision was swimming. The room became a swaying blur in front of him and he fell onto his stomach, gasping for air.

This wasn’t going to work. He screwed his eyes shut and pushed himself up onto his hands, tears dropping onto them. With every ounce of strength left in his battered body he called out for his team - in his mind and with his mouth.

‘Lance! Pidge! Allura! Hunk!’ He broke out into a coughing fit, struggling to push out more words ‘I need you.’

His arms gave out and he fell into a pile on the floor, hacking up his lungs. The invisible binds wound tighter.

‘Keith!’

The door exploded open with a crash and Lance came running in, armour covered in black scorch marks. He slid to Keith’s side, skin smudged with ash, and eyes bloodshot.

‘What the hell are you doing!?’

Keith winced at the volume and pointed meekly to his ribs.

Lance’s gaze flickered over his shrivelled body and Keith could barely keep his eyes open. ‘You’re hurt?’

Keith gave a weak nod and Lance reached out a tentative hand. He didn’t get far before he flinched like he’d touched a hot hob. Lance’s eyebrows furrowed as he stared down at Keith’s crumpled figure.

‘Okay Keith, don’t freak out but,’ Lance took a large step backwards and raised his Bayard with determination. Above his head it glowed bright blue before its features blurred into a haze. It didn’t look gun shaped anymore, the way it stretched reminded Keith of Lance’s sniper. But then the glow dimmed and revealed something slimmer, something sharp. A sword.

Keith’s eyes widened in terror as Lance swung it down heavily, cold air rushing over his body. 

But it didn’t hit him.

Instead, it was like Lance had cut through thick chains and the squeezing around his ribs finally released. Air poured into Keith’s lungs and he gulped it in too quickly, ending up choking on the floor. He couldn’t focus on much else other than his burning lungs, but he was sure there was a gentle hand on his back. It drew circles as another moved to support his arm. Keith leaned into the touch, focussing on the warmth that flowed from it until the coughing subsided. The hand on his arm squeezed and Keith found Lance watching him intently.

‘Better?’

Keith nodded, forcing out a ‘yes’ and cringing at how gravelly it sounded.

‘Good. Then let’s go.’

Keith was being tugged upwards, away from his feet and he barely thought to support himself as he stumbled into Lance. He shook his head roughly.

‘Allura.’ Keith croaked, ‘we have to get Allura.’

Lance sighed, pulling Keith’s arm over his shoulders. ‘Allura’s fine.’

‘But-‘

‘She’s safe, Keith.’ Lance said firmly, guiding them towards his abandoned weapons, ‘always was.’

‘So Haggar was lying?’

‘More like prophesying.’ Lance mumbled. Keith stopped walking.

‘What?’

‘Hmm?’ Lance glanced to him with a tight smile, ‘doesn’t matter. Allura’s fine. You, however, are not. We need to get you in a healing pod pronto, so come on.’

‘M’fine.’ Keith insisted as they arrived at his knife and Bayard. He began leaning down but his side quickly screamed at him to stop. He didn’t make a sound but clearly it was written across his face as Lance suddenly gathered him back up and closer in.

‘No you’re not.’

Lance picked up the items easily, slipping the Bayard into his suit alongside his own and handing Keith his knife. Keith wanted to fight him on his state, but then he focused on his blade and found himself panting with the effort. Sweat pooled on his forehead as he willed it to shrink into a dagger. His head pounded, but he finally got the blade to a reasonable size. He leaned further into Lance to tuck it behind his back and didn’t move out again.

Lance shook his head, readjusting his hold to take more of Keith’s weight. ‘Maybe that pod can fix that thick head of yours too.’

Any other day and that comment would’ve been met with fierce counter attack but Keith couldn’t find the spark in him. All his efforts had to go into staying awake as his body started to give into the pain.

He wasn’t aware of much now. Just the stray word of encouragement, ‘almost there,’ the barest change in pressure, ‘you’re doing great Keith,’ and the quick whip of blaster fire, ‘just two more minutes.’

Vaguely aware of his position now seated, Keith swayed, blinking in and out of consciousness.  
Warmth embraced his body and he was moving without his limbs. Buzzing filled his ears and he felt his hair combed back across his head. It felt so good. Then something warm and wet grazed his forehead before he toppled backwards into something hard and cold.

  
  
‘Keith! You’re awake!’

‘Guys Keith’s out of the pod!’

‘Oh thank god!’

There was a lot of commotion going on and Keith buried his head into the encompassing heat in front of him, letting out a soft groan. The heat rumbled beneath him before another voice was speaking, quieter but not further away.

‘Not a morning person huh mullet?’

Keith jolted like he’d been shot with espresso. He stumbled back, realising it was Lance that he’d been pressed against and immediately regretted it as cold air rushed over his skin. Lance’s mouth tipped into a frown before it was quickly hidden behind a smile.

‘Glad you’re okay.’

Keith was immediately tackled with several other bodies and engulfed in love.

‘Buddy,’ Hunk sobbed, ‘I’m so glad you’re okay!’

‘Idiot!’ Pidge yelled but it was muffled as she shoved her head into his chest ‘you scared us!’

‘Never do that again.’ Allura warned, flicking his ear but hugging him no less.

Keith couldn’t move his arms but attempted to shrug anyway. Laughter erupted from behind them and the group dispersed to reveal Shiro frowning at him. Keith gulped.

‘I-I’m sorry guys.’

‘So you should be,’ Shiro said but then a smile snuck onto his lips and he pulled Keith into strong arms and squeezed him so tight he almost felt like he was back in Haggar’s hold. At least Shiro’s had good intentions. Keith smiled and melted into his arms. So much that when Shiro released him, he swayed on his feet.

‘Woah there!’ Shiro caught him, pulling his arm over his shoulder and somehow Keith’s mind decided it wasn’t quite right. He didn’t know why though.

‘The healing process can be tiresome.’ Coran spoke kindly from across the room, ‘it might be best to let Keith rest for a while.’

Coran smiled reassuringly at him and Keith nodded. Then he was corralled to his bedroom by far more people than necessary.

  
  
Sleep never sat well with Keith. It jumped all over him until the sun came up - or rather the artificial light turned on to signify daytime on the castle. And rest after recovering from a healing pod was no exception.

A witch on a broom swooped into his dreams and cast them into nightmares. She cackled about prophecies and threw fireworks into his sides. Then Lance appeared, seemingly out of nowhere and dragged him away to hide in a clothes shop. There, he was tugged around a maze of over-filled railings and belt upon belt was being fixed to his waist until he could barely breath. But Lance kept adding and with each he lingered longer. Soon he wasn’t adding, instead he let his arms squeeze around Keith’s waist and cuddled him closer. He whispered into his hair before kissing the spot closest to his lips.

‘Did the pod fix that thick head of yours?’

  
Keith awoke with a start. His skin was cold with sweat and his sheets were wrapped around his ankles. He shivered. Everything felt distinctively wrong, the last day hazy in his mind. He looked at his wall clock to find the dial heading into the last eighth of daylight hours. He’d missed dinner and by now his fellow paladins would be relaxing at various places in the castle.

Keith rubbed his eyes before changing into a set of clean clothes and setting off to find answers. It was the only way to rest his queasy mind.

  
The castle was quiet, dust settling for the evening. Keith padded through the corridors until he ended up at the lounge where a brown head stuck out above the sofa cushions. Lance had his legs sprawled across the couch and a cup and saucer in his hands. At Keith’s arrival, he swivelled his feet onto the floor, sliding upright and lowering the cup to his lap.

‘You feeling better?’

Keith nodded and shuffled around the room to settle on the cushions across from Lance.

‘What’s that?’ He asked, eyeing the yellowy liquid that swirled a little too slowly in the small teacup.

‘Mock camomile tea.’ Lance shrugged, ‘Hunk says it’ll aid sleep. Want some?’

Keith frowned but took the cup. He brought it to his face and his nose immediately crinkled. It smelt like feet mixed with food goo. He took a sip and nearly spat the revolting liquid back out. It was like someone had swapped the sugar for salt and tea leaves for spinach and the texture was closer to jelly than water. With great effort, Keith gulped it down before shoving the cup back into Lance’s hands who was barely containing his amusement. Keith glared at him.

‘Hey, you didn’t have to drink it.’ Lance pointed out with a smirk and Keith sighed, sinking into the sofa cushions.

Lance sipped on the disgusting tea and let the quiet blanket over them.

Not long after, Keith cleared his throat. ‘What happened back on the ship?’

‘Oh right!’ Lance sat up properly, swinging his knee onto the sofa to face Keith. ‘Somebody passed out and missed all the action.’

Keith shrunk a little bit but Lance’s tone was more teasing than annoyed. At least Keith hoped it was.

‘Well, Allura cornered Haggar whilst we were running through the ship and when she whipped out the old Altean magic, Haggar scrammed.’ Keith nodded, about to speak but Lance was on a roll and continued with enthusiasm.

‘Pidge and Hunk broke onto the ship just after I found you and managed to find the prisoners whilst we were busy drawing fire from all the soldiers stationed on the ship.’ 

He laughed at this, seemingly already fond of the memory.

‘When we got to Red, they were piling prisoners into Yellow without any trouble. Ooh!’ He jumped forward to Keith’s surprise and slapped his thigh in excitement, ‘but the best part is that Black met us there AND laid down cover fire to give us a clear route to the castle! Your lion loves you man!’

Lance grinned wildly and Keith nearly forgot the purpose of the conversation. Lance was practically bouncing with excitement on Keith’s behalf and it made his chest tighten.

‘Actually it was about Haggar-‘

Lance smacked his cup down on its saucer hard.

‘She tricked you, Keith.’

His features moulded into an intense gaze that commanded Keith’s attention.

‘She did it to mess with us and she did it to be cruel. You’re not to blame.’

Lance had misinterpreted again. But he’d done it so perfectly that Keith got it pulled in, affection swooping through his stomach. He needed to force this out without interruption.

‘No Lance, I meant.’ He took a deep breath. ‘Her lie came true right?’

Lance’s eyes widened briefly before flicking away.

‘I don’t know what you mean.’

He began to lean away but Keith didn’t let him go far. He reached out and grabbed his hand.

‘Just answer me honestly.’

Lance blinked at him.

‘Is Allura the love of your life?’

Lance ducked his head down, pink blossoming across his tanned cheeks.

‘No.’ He whispered. And that’s all Keith needed to know.

He surged forward, hearing the clinking of Lance’s teacup knocking into the saucer as liquid splashed onto his shirt. He didn’t pay it any mind though as he scooped up Lance’s neck and pressed himself against his lips. They were warm and soft under his and after a moment’s hesitation they gently pushed back. The kiss was like honey and Lance let out a hum of contentment, pushing in closer.

Keith grinned, unable to stop it splitting the kiss. He pecked Lance’s lips in apology before sitting back, still grinning from ear to ear.

‘I’ve been such an idiot.’

Lance let out a breath of laughter. Bumping their knees together, he set down his tea. ‘I know. I honestly have no idea why I like you, it’s such hard work.’

Keith made to retaliate but the words instantly dissolved on his tongue when Lance combed a hand through his hair and looked at him with a face of pure adoration.

‘But I do.’

Keith blinked in awe.

‘Me too,’ he stumbled out, then thought better of it, ‘I mean, you. I like you. Too.’

Lance snorted, falling into his shoulder, and burying his word there, ‘idiot.’

It was said with nothing but fondness and Keith smiled, letting his head fall onto the others. Soft curls tickled his cheek and his eyes fluttered shut.

‘Thank you.’ He whispered, ‘for getting me out of there.’

‘No problem.’ Lance said, equally as gentle, ‘just don’t let it happen again.’

**Author's Note:**

> I got inspired reading Howl's Moving Castle :)
> 
> Thanks for reading!! ♥

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Lies and Lost Chances](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18159944) by [littledemon66](https://archiveofourown.org/users/littledemon66/pseuds/littledemon66)




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